Removable gas lift unit



2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 31, 1944. R. G. TAYLOR, JR

REMOVABLE GAS LIFT UNIT Original Filed April 2, 1941 Oct. 31, 1944. R. G. TAYLOR, JR 2,361,718

REMOVABLE GAS LIFT UNIT Original Filed April 2, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 3l, 1944 aEMovALE das LIFT UNIT Raymond G. Taylor, Jr., Dallas, Tex., assignor to The Guiberson Corporation, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Delaware Original application April 2, 1941, Serial No. 386,466. Divided and this application May 9, 1942, Serial No. 442,331

('Cl. 10S-232) 14 Claims.

This is a divisional application of application, Serial No. 386,466, filed April 2, i941, for Surface operated flowing means for wells.

More specically the invention relates to a control mechanism whereby a valve may be inserted into or removed from the ilow line and which valve is differentially operated by fluid pressure,

the iluid pressure being controlled by means above the ground. In my preferred construction I have a pressure chamber for compressed gas, which pressure chamber is between the casing and the flow line, and within the flow line is a small pipe commonly known in the trade as macaroni tubing, which macaroni tubing carries a valve mechanism. I provide means to control the gas pressure in the macaroni tubing and provide a valve in the housing carried by the macaroni tubing which valve is subjected to the gas pressures in the macaroni tubing and the gas pressures in the casing so that the said valve may be opened when the pressures in the macaroni tubing are less than the pressures in the casing and which valves will be closed when these pressures are equal or if the pressures in the macaroni tubing exceed the pressures in the casing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve mechanism which may be easily inserted in or removed from the flow line.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means to properly position the valve housing in regard to a port leading from the casing into the tubing and to lock the same in said position.v

Another object of the invention is to provide novel packing means for the Valve housing, the said packing means being positioned between the said valve housing and a sleeve carried by the iiow line.

Another object of the invention is to provide, if desired, a series of sleeves in the iiow line at spaced vertical distances and to provide a singley macaroni tubing carrying a valve mechanism which may be moved into any one of said sleeves and locked therein and a valve means carried by each of said sleeves which will automatically be opened when the said mechanism is positioned in its sleeve and will be closed when said mechanism is moved out of said sleeve.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the detailed specification and claims which follow.

In the drawings in which I have shown the preferred construction of my invention by way of illustration and with the full realization that many changes might be made in the specific construction therein shown without departing from the spirit of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a vertical elevational view partly in cross-section of a fragment of the well casing, ow line and the mechanism forming the subject matter of this invention positioned in the flow line,

Fig. 2 is a similar view of an alternative construction, Y

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view principally in crosssection of an alternative valve arrangement,

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional elevational view of the valve housing mechanism shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is an elevational view principally in crosssection of one of the valve mechanisms shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view partly in crosssection of one form of surface controlled mechanism with its connections to the macaroni tubing and casing,

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 6 but of an alternative form of surface controlling means, and

Fig. 8 is a cross-section view of the pipe 10 and the knob i8 showing gas passage flutes lill in the knob I8.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the casing I is capped at its top by a closure 2 through which extends the conventional now line 3, the ow line extending to near the bottom of the well and being provided at its lower end with the valve 4 which will permit the oilfrom the producing formation to iiow into the flow line but will prevent the oil in the ilow line from owing downwardly by said valve and back into the formation. If desired, a packer 5 may be positioned between the flow line and the casing and preferably near the lower end of the flow line. Fluid responsive flow valves 6 may be carried by the flow line, said flow valves serving the well known function of yallowing the compressed gas in the compressed air chamber -1 to ow through ysaid valves into the tubing when the head of oil in the tubing exerts a. predetermined pressure on said valves. Inasmuch as the function of such valves is well understood in the art, further description is not considered to be necessary.

As shown in Fig. 1, the"flow line may be provided with a series of enlarged chambers 8 and 9. As best shown in Fig. 5,' a short pipe I0 passes through one wall of the chamber 8 and through a sleeve Il which extends vertically and which has a bore or vertically extending passageway therethrough, which bore is somewhat smaller than the internal diameterof the flow line 3. If desired, the sleeve Il may be supported by inwardly extending lugs I2 carried by the chamber 8 so as to securely position the sleeve in the said chamber. The pipe I is provided with an annular internal ange I3 forming a. valve seat I4 and through which extends a valve stem I5 carrying a valve I8 adapted to seat against the valve seat I4 and to prevent the compressed gas passing from the chamber 1 into the sleeve II. The said valve is urged to its closed position by means of a spring I1 interposed between the said flange I3 and a knob I8 carried by the valve stem I5 and which knob is semi-spherical on its end remote from the valve I6 and which semi-spherical end of the knob normally projects within the sleeve II. As will hereinafter be described, I provide a removable valve mechanism which may be lowered into the sleeve and which will be adapted to engage the semi-spherical end of the knob I8 and open the valve I6, but when the valve mechanism is removed from the sleeve II, the spring I1 will close the said valve I6.

Extending to the top of the well is a macaroni tubing 26. Macaroni tubing is generally known in the art as tubing having a diameter smaller than 11/2", but by macaroni tubing I simply mean a small pipe. The lower end of the macaroni tubing is connected to a valve housing I9. This valve housing is provided with a vertically extending passageway 20, a horizontally extending bore 2| extending only a portion of the way through the housing, a vertically extending passageway 22, an enlargedl valve chamber 23, and below the valve chamber is provided with a vertically extending bore 24, all of said bores, chamber and passageway communicating with each other except for a valve 25 which is positioned in the valve chamber 23. In practical manufacturing, of course, the valve housing would not be made in one piece, the upper end thereof having the connection with the macaroni tubing 26 and including the passageway 20, bore 2| and passageway 22 might be made in one piece which would be secured to a pipe forming the valve chamber 23 and this pipe might be secured at its lower end to a plug 21 through which the bore 24 extends.

In the bore 2| is a plunger 28 provided with a head 29 which serves the purpose of a piston. A spring 30 is positioned between the head 29 and a flange 3| through which ilange the plunger 28 extends. The outer end of the plunger is provided with a channel 32 adapted to seat against the upper end 33 of the sleeve II when the parts are in the position as shown in Fig. 5. A plug 34 forms a closure for the bore 2| at the end remote from the said plunger.v This plug 34 is provided so that the plunger may be inserted in the bore 2| and after being inserted the plug 34 may be screwed into the bore 2| so that the bore 2| now forms a trap to prevent the compressed air passing laterally out of the housing The valve 25 is provided with upper and lower flanges 35 and 36, respectively, which form substantially an air-tight engagement with the side walls of the valve chamber 23. The valve mechanism 25 is provided at its lower end with a valve 31 adapted to be seated against a valve seat 38. which valve seat is at the upper end of the plug 21. When the valve 3l is against its valve seat 38 no compressed gas can pass downwardly through the bore 24.

The Valve housing is provided with one or more downwardly extending packing cups 39 and if a plurality are employed, the same may be spaced aaemie by spacers 40. The lower end of the housing is likewise provided with one or more up-turned packing cups 4I which may be spaced apart the same as are the cups 39. Since the packing cups 39 and 4I, as shown, extend vertically on the outside of the valve chamber 23, they, therefore, space the outside of this valve chamber from the inside of the sleeve II thereby forming a chamber 42. A port 43 extends horizontally through the wall of the valve chamber 23 which port communicates with the said chamber 42 and with the lower portion of the valve chamber 23.

The operation of this valve mechanism is as follows: The macaroni tubing 26 may be lowered in the tubing 3 and compressed air may be introduced into the macaroni tubing. This compressed air would force the valve 31 against its valve seat 38 and would prevent a flow of compressed gas Athrough the valve mechanism. This Awould result in a pressure in the bore 2| which would force the plunger 28 to its outer position, compressing the spring 30 and positioning the outer end of the plunger in such a position that the channel 32 would be in position to engage the upper end 33 of the sleeve II when the valve mechanism was lowered suiliciently for the said plunger to engage the said sleeve and when lowered to this position, the parts would be in the position shown in Fig. 5. It will be noted that the valve mechanism has engaged the semispherical end of the knob I8 and has compressed the spring I1 and opened the valve I6 so that the compressed air from the chamber 'I can pass by the valve I6 into the chamber 42 and through the port 43 into the lower portion of the valve chamber 23, that is, that part thereof below the flange 36. If the pressure in the macaroni tubing 26 and the pressure in the chamber 1 were the same, the weight of the valve member 25 would cause the Valve 31 to remain on its seat 38 and no compressed air would pass from the chamber 1 through the bore 24 and outwardly into the enlarged chamber 8. However, if the pressure in the chamber 1 were increased, this increased pressure would be received by the flange 36 so that the valve member 25 would now become unbalanced and would move upwardly from its seat 38 so that the gas pressure from the chamber 1 would now pass by the valve I6, through the chamber 42, port 43, chamber 23, and bore 24 thereby aerating and lifting that part of the oil in the flow line above the valve mechanism. However, it would generally be preferable instead of increasing the pressure in the chamber 1 to decrease the pressure in the macaroni tubing 26 thereby relieving the pressure on the upper end of the valve member 25 so that the valve member opens, and when open, that part of the oil in the tubing above the valve mechanism would be aerated as hereinbefore described. Either method would work, but I consider the latter method to be preferable because of the relatively small quantity of compressed air in the small macaroni tubing as compared with a large quantity thereof in the casing.

When I have lifted the oil above the enlarged chamber 8 I wish to lower the valve mechanism into the enlarged chamber 9. I do this by simply raising the macaroni tubing slightly so as to disengage the plunger 28 from the upper end 33 of the sleeve II. If I now decrease the pressure in the macaroni tubing 26, the valve member 25 remains closed but the spring 30 will move the plunger 28 inwardly so that its outer end the packer 51.

can pass downwardly through the sleeve Il. I now lower the valve mechanism and after it has passed beyond the sleeve Il, I increase the pres- Y sure in the macaroni tubing so as to cause' the plunger 28 to again be projected so that when it reaches the Vsleeve of the chamber 9, it will engage said sleeve and properly position the `valve ,mechanism in the chamber 9. The construction of the chamber 9 is identical with that of .the chamber 8 and I would then operate the mechanism so as to lift the oil above the chamber 9 in identically the same manner as described in connection with the chamber 9.

In Fig. 5 the cup packers 39 and 4I are, of

course, employed to prevent theescape of compressed gas from the chamber 42 'upwardly or downwardly between the valve housing and the sleeve Il. Other forms of packers, of course, may be employed such as the arrangement shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 shows an alternative form of packing arrangement from that shown in Fig. 5. In this construction the macaroni tubing A26 supports a valve housing 44 which has a plug 45 screwed to the lower end thereof. Extending vertically through the housing 44 and communicating with the macaroni tubing 26 is a passageway 46 which in turn communicates with an enlarged bore forming a chamber 41 in which a'valve member 48 is movable. The valve member 48 is provided I with upper and lower flanges 49 and 50 which like the flanges and 36 prevent the passage of compressed air upwardly or downwardly past said flanges. The valve member 49 at its lower end forms a valve 5| adapted to be seated against a valve seat 52 at the upper end of the plug 45 and a passageway 53 extends vertically through the plug 45. This passageway 53 extends from the lower end of the chamber 41 through the lower end of the plug and communicating with the space in the chamber 8' which corresponds to the chamber 8 of Fig. 5.

The sleeve Il', corresponding to the sleeve H of Fig. 5, has near its lower end an inwardly extending fiange forming a seat 54 to receive a ring 55 which ring is slidable on the outside of the valve housing 44. The plug 45 carries an outwardly projecting flange 56 which when the valve housing is elevated prevents the ring 55 from moving below the flange 56 or as otherwise expressed from dropping off of the valve housing. Above the ring 55 is a resilient packer 51 which is an annular ring made of rubber, DuPrene, neo.. prene or other resilient material. Above the packer 51 is a spacer 58 which spacer is annular in plan View and I-shaped in vertical cross-sectional view as shown in Fig. 3, thereby providing a space 59 between the outer surface of the spacer 58 and the inner surface of the sleeve Il' and forming a space 80 between the inner portion of the spacer and the outer surface of the housing 44. This spacer is provided with ports 6l f connecting the two spaces 59 and 60. The space communicates with the pipe I0 which like the pipe l0 in Fig. 5 extends through the sleeve and the wall of the chamber and thereby communicates with the compressed air space 1 in the casing. Above the spacer 58 is an .annular packer 62 which is the same form of packer as lai` shoulder 63 which overlies the upper end of the packer 82.

'I'he operation of the structure shown in Fig. 3 is very similar to the description heretofore given in connection with the valve mechanism The housing 44 carries an annu shown in Fig. 5, the principaldiiferences being the packing arrangement, and furthermore, thestructure shown in Fig. 3 is not adapted to pass .through successive sleeves as is the structure shown in Fig. 5. When the structure shown in Fig. 3 is employedt there would be only one en'. larged chamber 9 in the tubing and therefore only one sleeve Il'. The valve housing would be lowered on the macaroni tubing 25 until the ring 55 engaged the shoulder 54 of the sleeve and upon further lowering the macaroni tubing the shoulder 43 would continue 'to move downwardly while the ring 52 is held against such movement thereby compressing the two packers 51 and 82 so as to effectively prevent compressed gas passing upwardly or downwardly by such packers. If we now reduce the pressure in themacaroni tubing 26 while the pressure'in the chamber 1 in the casingy remains constant so that the pressure acting on the upper surface of the valve member 48 is less than the pressure acting upwardly thereon, the valvelmember 48 would be elevated so that the valve 5I would be moved away from the valve seat 52 andthereupon compressed gas from the chamber 1 in the casing would pass through the pipe l0' into the space 59 thence through the ports 5| and the space 50 and thence through the port 64 extending through the housing 44 and communicating with the space 49 and the portion of the chamber 41 below the flange 50 and thence through the lower portion of the chamber 41 and through the passageway 53 so that this compressed gas now passes into the chamber 9' aerating and lifting the oil above said valve mechanism. When, however, we increase the pressure of the compressed gas in the macaroni tubing 26 the valve 5I would again be seated on its valve seat 52 thereby stopping the passage of the Acompressed gas from the chamber 1 in the casing into the chamber 8'. After the head of oil in the tubing had again been built up to a point above the valve mechanism, the mechanism located above the ground, and which will hereinafter be de scribed, would again be operated soas to decrease the pressure in the macaroni tubing and open the valve. 4

In Figs.' 2 and 4 I .show a modification of the structure heretofore described. The casing I and the conventional tubing 3 is employed as is the macaroni tubing 26. A single enlarged chamber 8" having a pipe I0 leading into a sleeve Il are likewise employed, all of which structure is substantially the same as the structure described in connection with Fig. l. The' enlarged chamber 8" receives a connection 55 which is welded thereto at 66 and within the connection 65 is a member B1 having a passageway that communicates with the interior of the lower portion of the sleeve Il and which passageway extends outwardly and downwardly through the connection and com- I. The tubing 3 is provided with a port 15 which port is positioned in that part of the tubing within the chamber 18 and just below the connection 69 which forms the upper closure member of the chamber 18. The valve mechanism shown in Fig. 3 may be suitably employed in connection with the structure shown in Figs. 2 and 4 and when the macaroni tubing 26 is lowered so that the ring 55 engages the seat 'I6 at the upper end of the member 81, the packers will be compressed as heretofore described and the valve member 48 would be operated in precisely the same manner as heretofore described, with the exception that instead of the compressed gas passing downwardly from the passageway 53 directly into the tubing, it would pass downwardly through the member 61, pipe 68, passageway 13 into the chamber 10 and thence upwardly through the extreme lower end of the tubing, thereby elevating all of the oil in the tubing. The port l5 is provided so that the trapped gas in the chamber 'lll above the lower end of the tubing may bleed through the said port.

When a plurality of chambers such as 8 and 9 are employed, such as shown in Fig. l, the valves I8 prevent any passage therethrough of the compressed air unless and until the valve mechanism is seated in its sleeve. In this construction the compressed air in the chamber is, therefore, not wasted by flowing into the tubing when the removable valve mechanism is not in position. If desired, a valve similar to the valve l 8 may be used in connection with the disclosure in the remaining views but when only one enlarged chamber is employed such as 8' in Fig. 3, the valve I8 is ordinarily not necessary for in Fig. 3 the removable valve mechanism would ordinarily be in its sleeve so that the gas would not be unnecessarily wasted.

Various forms of surface operated mechanism may be employed. In Fig. 6 I show one such form in which a compressed air supply pipe 'll is used. If desired, a valve 18 may be employed to cut oir the supply of air and a pressure regulator i9 may also -be employed. The pipe ll is provided with a :branch 80 leading to the casing and in this branch I provide a valve 8l. Connected to the pipe 7l is also a branch 82 leading to a threeway valve 83. This valve lmay be the well-known i communicates with the branch 82 as well as with a pipe 90 connected to the macaroni tubing 26. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 6 and if the valves 18 and 8l are open, the compressed air supplied through the pipe Tl will pass into the casing through the -branch 80 as well as through the :branch 82 and thence through the chamber 89 and pipe 9U into the macaroni tubing. At suitable intervals the governing means 88, which may be a clock system, would control the operation of the diaphragm mechanism 85 and would cause the valve stem 88 to move downwardly so that the valve 81 seats on a valve seat 9| at the upper end of the branch 82 so that no more compressed air can be fed into the pipe 90 and macaroni tubing 26. The compressed air in the macaroni tubing can now ow outwardly through the pipe 90, chamber 89, upwardly through the port in the partition 88 and thence through a pipe 92 having aback pressure regulator 93 therein and thence escaping into the ataserme mosphere. This back pressure regulator may be of any improved type such as the Grove reducing regulator. The clock mechanism 84 may be set to govern the diaphragm so that it would .'be operated every three minutes or every two days, depending upon the wish of the operator, which naturally would be dependent upon what he knows of the well conditions. This clock mechanism may likewise be set so as to hold the valve member 25 or 48 open for any given length of time dependent upon how long the operator thinks it would take to complete the lifting operation or at least how long the operator thinks it will be necessary to introduce the compressed air into the tubing. If, for intsance, the operator wishes to set theclock mechanism so as to maintain the valve stem in the position shown in Fig. 6 for any given length of time, the valve member 25 for instance would correspondingly remain in its lower position so that no compressed air is introduced from the casing into the tubing. If the opera-tor wishes the compressed gas to pass at the end of this period of time from the casing into the tubing for a given length of time, he would set his clock mechanism accordingly and ithe clock mechanism would control the diaphragm mechanism so that the valve stem 8'5 would be moved downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 6 so that the valve 81 would remain on its valve seat 8| for the said given period of time. The pressure in the macaroni tubing would therefore be reduced for that same period ol time by the compressed air therein owmg through the pipe and through the back pressure regulator 93 and outwardly through the tubing 92 thereby decreasing the pressure on the upper end of the valve member 25 so that the said valve member would be elevated and the compressed gas would therefore pass from the chamber l in the casing by the valve 3l and into the tubing, thereby aerating and lifting the oil therein so that it could be expelled through the pipe 98 leading from the upper end of the tubing to the oil storage tank, not shown.

In Fig. 'l I have shown an alternative arrangement from that shown in Fig. 6. Gas would be supplied to the casing through a pipe 95 having a pressure regulator 'i9 therein, which pipe communicates with a branch 98 leading into the casing, which pipe 98 may be provided with a valve 8l. A branch 91 also communicates with the pipe 95 and leads to the macaroni tubing 28. A valve 98 is interposed inthe branch 91. A pipe 99 is connected to the macaroni tubing 2B and in this pipe is a valve |00 and a back pressure regulator 93. If the operator opens the valves Bl and 98, the compressed gas from the pipe 95 will be led through the branches 98 and '91 to the macaroni tubing and to the casing so that the pressures on the upper and the lower ends of the valve, such as the valve member 25 in Fig. 5, would be equal and no compressed gas could pass from the chamber l into the tubing. lf, however, the operator closed the valve 98 and opened the valve lull, the pressure in the macaroni tubing would be decreased and the valve member 25 in Fig. 5 or 48 in Fig, 3 would be elevated so that gas would now pass from the chamber 'l into the tubing. The essential dilerence between the structure shown in Fig. 7 and that shown in Fig. 6 is that in Fig. 6 'the mechanism is set so as to be automatically operated as desired, whereas, when the structure shown in Fig. 7 is employed, the operator would have to manually operate the proper valves. While I have not shown any specic mechanism for raising and elevating the macaroni tubing, it is believed that such elevating mechanism is so well known that vit requires no description and it forms no part of this invention.

I realize that many changes may be made in the specific form of the invention as shown herein by way of illustration and I Adesire to claim the invention broadly except as I may limit myself in the appended claims.`

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. In a. well having a flow line, a sleeve within and carried by the flow line, a compressed gas chamber, said sleeve having a passageway communicating with the chamber and the interior of the sleeve, a valve to control passage of gas from the interior of said sleeve into the flow line, a. valve housing for the said valve, means whereby thehousing may be lowered from the surface of the ground into said sleeve and pneumatically controlled means to engage or not engage the upper end of said sleeve so as to allow the housing to pass through the sleeve or to prevent its passa/e therethrough.

2. As a subcombination of' a well flowing device, a flow line, a series of sleeves within and carried by the flow line, a valve housing, means whereby the housing may be lowered from the surface of the ground and pneumatically controlled means which may be projected so as to engage a selected one of said sleeves to stop the housing in any one of the selected sleeves.

3. As a subcombination of avwell flowing device, a ow line,v a sleeve within and carried by the flow line, a valve housing, a plunger therein having a compressed gas chamber on one side thereof, and a spring acting onthe other side thereof, means to regulate the gas pressure in the gas chamber so as to cause the plunger to protrude outwardly from the housing so as to engage the sleeve when the housing is lowered inta the sleeve when the gas pressure exceeds the spring pressure, the spring serving as a means to move the plunger out of engaging position when the gas pressure is reduced below the spring pressure.

4. As a subcombinatlon of a well flowing device having a flow line, a hollow member within and carried by the flow line, a valve housing, means to lower thehousing into the member, and pneumatically controlled means carried by the housing to engage'the member to stop the housing when it is in the member.

5. As a subcomblnation of a well flowing device having a ow line, a hollow member within and carried by the iiow 1inea valve housing, means to lower the housing into the member and to raise the housing out of said member, a stop member carried lby the housing, pneumatically controlled means to project the stop member out of the housing into position to contact the hollow member and to prevent the housing from passing through the hollow member.

6. As a subcombination of a well flowing device having a flow line, a sleeve in the flow line, an inwardly extending annular flange near the bottom of the sleeve, a housing adapted to be lowered into the sleeve, an annular shoulder `forming a part of the housing, a retaining ring shoulder serving 'as a means to compress said packers into sealing engagement with the housing and sleeve when the housing is lowered into positioninthe sleeve. Y l

'1. As a subcombination of a well flowing device having a flow line, a sleeve in the ilow line, an inwardly extending annular ilange near the bottom of the sleeve, a housing adapted to be lowered into the sleeve, an annular shoulder forming a p art of the housing, a retaining ring slidable on the lower outer part of the housing and adapted to seat on said flange, a packer above said ring, a packer below said shoulder, a spacer between said packers, said ilange and shoulder serving as a means to compress said packers into sealing engagement with the housing and lsleeve when the housing is lowered into position in the sleeve, a compressed gas chamber, and a passageway leading from the compressed gas chamber through said'spacer and housing into the flow line.

8. As a subcombination of a well owing device having a ilow line, a sleeve in the flow line.

an inwardly extending annular flange near the A bottom of the sleeve, a housing adapted to be lowered into the sleeve, an annular shoulder forming a part of the housing, a retaining ring slidable on the lower outer part of the housing and adapted to seat on said flange, a packer above said ring, a packer below said shoulder,

4 a spacer between said packers, said flange and shoulder serving as a means to compicss said packers into sealing engagement with the housing and sleeve when the vhousing is lowered into position in the sleeve, a compressed gas chamber, a passageway leading from the compressed gas chamber through said spacer and housing into the flow line, and a pneumatically controlled valve in the housing to open or close said passageway.

9. As a subcombination of a well flowing device having a ow line, a sleeve in the flow line. an inwardly extending annular fiange near the bottom of the sleeve, a housing adapted. to be lowered into the sleeve, an annular shoulder forming a part of the housing, a retaining ring slidable on the lower outer part of the housing and adapted to seat on saidflange, a packer above said ring, a packer below said shoulder, a spacer between said packers, Saidflange and 'shoulder serving as a means to compress said packers into sealing'engagement with the housing and sleevewhen the housing is lowered into position in the sleeve, a compressed gas chamber, a passageway leading from the compressed gas chamber through said spacer and housing into the ilow line, a valve in the housing to control said passageway and means to` operate said valve. l

10. In combination with a well having a flow line and a casing with a compressed gas chamber between said flow line and casing, a sleeve within and carried by said flow line, a valve housing insertable in and removable from said sleeve, a tubing extending from said valve housing to the top ofy the well, a valve within said housing, a passageway extending from one end of said valve through the housing and tubing to the top of the well, means to vary thel pressure in said passageway, and a second passageway extending from said pressure chamber through said sleeve and housing to the interior of said flow line, said valve when open allowing the compressed gas from the chamber to flow into said iiow line and when closed preventing said flow.

11. In combination with a well having a ow line and a casing with a compressed gas chamber between said iiow line and casing, a sleeve within and carried by said flow line, a valve housing insertable in and removable from said sleeve, a valve in said housing, a passageway for compressed iiuid extending from one end of said valve to the well surface, means whereby the pressure in said passageway may be controlled, a second passageway extending from the chamber through said sleeve and housing and into said iiow line, said passageway being so positioned Ythat the compressed air from the chamber will exert a force on the valve in opposition to the force exerted on the valve by the compressed fluid in the iirst passageway, said valve serving as a means to open or close said second passageway. Y

12,. In combination with a well casing and ow line having a compressed gas chamber between said casing and ow line, a sleeve within and carried by the flow line, a valve housing, a tubing secured to said housing and adapted to lower said housing into or remove said housing from said sleeve, Ya valve member slidable within said housing and having a piston portion and a reduced valve portion, a valve seat for the valve portion, a passageway leading from the chamber through the sleeve and housing and through said valve seat into the tubing, said passageway passing into said housing below the piston portion of the valve member so that the compressed gas from the chamber will be exerted on one side of the said piston portion, means whereby compressed gas may be introduced into Contact with the other side of said piston portion of the valve member through said tubing, said valve portion when seated on said valve seat preventing com-= pressed gas from passing from the chamber into the now line and when open permitting the passing of the compressed gas from the chamber into the iow line.

e 13. In combination with a well casing and ow line having a compressed gas chamber between said casing and flow line, a sleeve within and carried by the ow line, a valve housing, a tubing secured to said housing and adapted to lower said housing into or remove said housing from said sleeve, a valve member slidable within said housing, means whereby compressed gas may be introduced through said tubing so as to exert its force on one portion of the valve member, an open passageway leading from the chamber into the housing so that the compressed gas in the chamber will exert its force on another portion of the valve member, a port leading from the said open passageway into the ow line, said valve member serving as a means to open or close said port.

14. In combination with a well casing and ow line having a compressed gas chamber therebetween, a sleeve within and carried by the iiow line, a valve housing, a tubing secured to said housing and adapted to lower said housing into or remove said housing from said sleeve. a valve member slidable within said housing. means whereby uid under pressure may be introduced through said tubing against one end of said valve member, the passageway extending from another portion of said Valve member through said housing and sleeve to said chamber so that the compressed gas in the chamber will be 'exerted on said second portion of the valve member and tending to move it inY opposition to the iiuid pressure exerted through the tubing, a port communicating with said passageway to the interior of vthe fiow line, said valve member serving as a means to open or close said port.

RAYMOND G. TAYLOR, J s. 

